Sept. 4-10 Movies Calendar

What's showing at area theaters

Escaped convict Riddick (Vin Diesel) — “wanted by every bounty hunter in the known galaxy” in three previous movies, including one animated direct-to-DVD film — faces an alien race of predators on a sun-scorched planet and those aforementioned bounty hunters who want him dead in "Riddick," opening Sept. 6.

Universal Pictures

Posted:
Wednesday, September 4, 2013 12:00 am

4 stars SELENA GOMEZ

3 stars LINDSAY LOHAN

2 stars MILEY CYRUS

1 star AMANDA BYNES

NOW SHOWING

2 GUNS

2 1/2 stars

Rated R

Marcus Stigman (Mark Wahlberg) and Bobby Trench (Denzel Washington) have been working for the government for more than a year to infiltrate a dangerous drug cartel. Unwillingly, they’re forced to team up when their mission goes awry. Their respective government agencies deny their existence, so they strike back at the gangsters who want them dead. Directed by Baltasar Kormákur.

A young man wants to honor his grandfather, whose last wish was to have his ashes strewn in the waters of the holy city of Rameshwaram. The Bollywood hit stars Deepika Padukone and Shah Rukh Khan. In Hindi and Tamil.

CLOSED CIRCUIT

1 1/2 stars

Rated R

There are a lot of cameras recording 24/7 in public places all over England and a deadly terrorist attack has been caught on film. Two members of the team (Eric Bana and Rebecca Hall) defending an accused spy were once lovers, but that's not the biggest problem with this mystery/thriller — poor editing is.

THE CONJURING

2 1/2 stars

Rated R

Lorraine (Vera Farmiga) and her husband Ed (Patrick Wilson) have investigated paranormal occurrences a long time, but when they get called to a farmhouse in the middle of nowhere, they encounter their most horrifying case. A family desperately needs help before violent ghosts destroy them.

DESPICABLE ME 2

2 1/2 stars

Rated PG

Gru (voiced by Steve Carell) is back as a heinous villain who becomes a spy. Gru morphs from villain to dad to raise three adopted daughters, hitting the dating scene to find a suitable mom. Three Minions (voiced by co-director Pierre Coffin) again steal the whole thing.

ELYSIUM

3 stars

Rated R

The year is 2154, and Earth, where the 99 percenters live, is a mess. The air is polluted and garbage is everywhere. Meanwhile, the aristocrats live on Elysium, a circular spaceship oasis just outside Earth’s atmosphere. It’s a perfect, idyllic structure, made to look like the paradises of yesteryear. Max (Matt Damon) is planning to take down Elysium and bring equality to Earth in the dystopian sci-fi from director Neill Blomkamp (“District 9”).

FRUITVALE STATION

4 stars

Rated R

It’s the true story of Oscar Grant (Oscar-worthy Michael B. Jordan) who was killed in an altercation with police at Fruitvale, a BART stop in San Francisco’s Bay Area on New Year’s Eve 2008. Grant died just as he was making resolutions to turn his life around. Co-starring Octavia Spencer and Chad Michael Murray.

GETAWAY

1 1/2 stars

Rated PG-13

Brent (Ethan Hawke), a former racecar driver, is forced into a mission to save his kidnapped wife. The Kid (Selena Gomez), a young hacker, is along for the ride while Brent takes orders from the unknown criminal (Jon Voight), who is watching all the action through cameras mounted on the car.

THE GRANDMASTER

2 1/2 stars

Rated PG-13

This lush, beautifully filmed (by cinematographer Philipe Le Sourd) movie is based on the true story of Ip Man (Tony Leung), a Chinese martial arts wizard who excelled at his craft — so much so, he was Bruce Lee's mentor and teacher. Co-starring Zhang Ziyi and directed by Wong Kar Wai. In Mandarin, Cantonese and Japanese.

GROWN UPS 2

1/2 STAR

Rated PG-13

Lenny (Adam Sandler) learns crazy follows everywhere when he moves his family back to his hometown to be with friends Marcus (David Spade), Kurt (Chris Rock) and Eric (Kevin James). The four adults relive the last day of school through their kids’ experiences.

JOBS

2 stars

Rated PG-13

The biopic examines how Steve Jobs (Ashton Kutcher), an entrepreneur and innovator way ahead of his time, built Apple into the most prolific company in the world. Directed by Joshua Michael Stern, “Jobs” also stars Dermot Mulroney, Josh Gad (as Steve Wozniak), Lukas Haas, Matthew Modine and J.K. Simmons.

KICK-ASS 2

2 stars

Rated R

Having inspired other folks to dress like superheroes and fight crime, Dave/Kick-Ass (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) is bored. Mindy/Hit-Girl (Chloë Grace Moretz) promises her guardian (Morris Chestnut) she’ll behave, so Dave’s on his own. He looks for a vigilante group to join. Born-again Christian Col. Stars & Stripes (Jim Carrey) is happy to have Kick-Ass, Dr. Gravity (Donald Faison), Night Bitch (Lindy Booth) and Battle Guy (Clark Duke) dispatching justice. The bond is tested when Chris (Christopher Mintz-Plasse), aka Red Mist, takes on a new archvillain persona – The Motherfucker – and forms an injustice league to take down Kick-Ass.

THE LAST FLIGHT OF THE CHAMPION

Rated PG

Neddie wants to fight an evil power-mad leader out to enslave the populations on free planets. He's a short fella, though, and so can't be part of the official forces at war with General Disdain. So, he rallies his buds to get the job done. The tepid animated comedy co-stars Kevin Charles and Luci Christian.

LEE DANIELS’ THE BUTLER

2 stars

Rated PG-13

Forest Whitaker plays Cecil Gaines, the White House butler who served U.S. presidents over three decades, witnessing many of the 20th century’s biggest moments. The all-star cast runs deep with James Marsden as John F. Kennedy, Minka Kelly as Jackie Kennedy, Alan Rickman as Ronald Reagan, Jane Fonda as Nancy Reagan, John Cusack as Richard Nixon and Robin Williams as Dwight Eisenhower. Really? Ike is Robin Williams? Also starring Oprah Winfrey, Mariah Carey, Vanessa Redgrave, Cuba Gooding Jr., Terrence Howard and Liev Schreiber.

OMG! Niall, Zayn, Liam, Louis and that scamp Harry sing to a massive crowd on the edge of complete hysteria at the O2 Arena in London. We see their incredible leap into the white-hot spotlight as the lads succeed beyond anyone's wildest dreams.

The sequel opens with Percy (Logan Lerman), Annabeth (Alexandra Daddario) and Grover (Brandon T. Jackson) at Camp Half-Blood, the only place where demigods can live in peace. Or so they think. They’re forced to recover the Golden Fleece, which is located in – you guessed it – the Sea of Monsters (aka the Bermuda Triangle).

PLANES

2 stars

Rated PG

Watching this Disney movie, you quickly realize you liked it better the first and second times you saw it when it was called “Cars,” then “Cars 2.” “Planes” was made by DisneyToon Studios, which ordinarily works on straight-to-video sequels such as “Tarzan II” and “Cinderella III: A Twist in Time.” The film, only moderately and occasionally funny, does offer a nice message of believing you can do more than what you think you’re capable of, but “Planes” sputters when it needs to soar.

R.I.P.D.

1 1/2 stars

Rated PG-13

Hotshot detective Nick Walker (Ryan Reynolds) was killed in the line of duty, so he’s eligible to join the Rest in Peace Department. New partner Roy (Jeff Bridges) is a veteran sheriff with a knack for spotting a fugitive soul in disguise.

RIDDICK

Rated R • Opens Sept. 6

Escaped convict Riddick (Vin Diesel) is left for dead — you know how that usually goes — and faces an alien race of predators and bounty hunters who want him dead in the franchise that started with 2000’s “Pitch Black.” Co-starring Karl Urban and Jordi Molla. Directed by David Twohy.

SMURFS 2

1 1/2 stars

Rated PG

At it again, the Smurfs enter the humans’ world to help Smurfette (Katy Perry) escape Gargamel (Hank Azaria). Gargamel created the Naughties to help him harness the Smurf-essence, but he learns the only way to get it is with a spell only Smurfette knows.

THE SPECTACULAR NOW

4 stars

Rated R

This film directed by James Ponsoldt captures the experience of being a teenager with exquisite honesty and grace. Unlikely couple Sutter (Miles Teller) and Aimee (Shailene Woodley) are real people with real problems, leading lives of hardship, awkwardness and angst.

TURBO

2 stars

Rated PG

Theo, a garden snail (voiced by Ryan Reynolds) suffers a freak accident that turns fortunate – he might now be so fast, he could win the Indy 500. Co-starring Samuel L. Jackson, Bill Hader, Snoop Lion and Maya Rudolph.

THE ULTIMATE LIFE

Rated PG • Opens Sept. 6

Jason Stevens (Logan Bartholomew) faces lawsuits by his extended family while running his grandfather’s foundation his beloved Alexia (Ali Hills) depart on a mission trip to Haiti. Stevens discovers his grandfather’s journal and is transported to 1941 where he is reminded of the important things in life. Co-starring Peter Fonda and Bill Cobbs. Directed by Michael Landon Jr.

THE WAY, WAY BACK

3 1/2 stars

Rated PG-13

Duncan (Liam James) is a 14-year-old too awkward to fit in until he meets a few adults who bring him into adulthood. After his mom drags him away from home to live at her boyfriend’s beach house for the summer, he begins working at a waterpark. Here Duncan meets some folks who help him be less of an outcast during the roughest teenage years and transform him into a man.

WE’RE THE MILLERS

3 stars

Rated R

Small-time drug dealer David (Jason Sudeikis) uses the “perfect family” façade after he’s offered $100,000 to bring back “a little bit” of weed from Mexico. The perfect family includes stripper Rose (Jennifer Aniston), likable latchkey teenager Kenny (Will Poulter) and homeless teen Casey (Emma Roberts). Sudeikis delivers great one-liners and Aniston unfurls another edgy/sexy/funny performance in the same vein as her role in “Horrible Bosses.”

THE WOLVERINE

3 stars

Rated PG-13

Logan (Hugh Jackman) learns that being a warrior without a cause isn’t what it’s cracked up to be. When he gets called to Japan, he begins a journey to face his own mortality.

THE WORLD’S END

2 stars

Rated R

In this British comedy, one man fondly recalls a pub crawl but his mates hold it in considerably less esteem. Twenty years ago, Gary (Simon Pegg), Ollie (Martin Freeman), Pete (Eddie Marsan), Steve (Paddy Considine) and Andy (Nick Frost) attempted to down a pint of ale at each of the 12 pubs in a one-mile stretch of town. They didn't finish the run and now Gary wants to make it right. The problem? Alien robots have taken over the bodies of the townspeople.

A happy family reunion becomes a violent crime and then a case of serious counterattack in this thriller, directed by Adam Wingard.

OTHER FILMS

WORLD GOLF HALL OF FAME IMAX THEATRE

“Great White Shark 3D” and “Tornado Alley 3D” are screened along with “The Last Reef 3D” and “Flight of the Butterflies 3D” at World Golf Hall of Fame Village IMAX Theatre, 1 World Golf Place, St. Augustine, 940-IMAX, worldgolfimax.com. “The Wizard of Oz” gets the IMAX treatment opening Sept. 20.